Marchosias is a great and mighty Marquis of Hell, commanding thirty legions of demons. In the Ars Goetia, the first book of The Lesser Key of Solomon (17th century), he is depicted as a wolf with gryphon's wings and a serpent's tail, spewing fire from his mouth, but at the request of the magician he may take the form of a man.
Overview[]
He is a strong fighter and gives true answers to all questions, and is very faithful to the magician in following his commands. Before his fall he belonged to the angelic order of Dominations , and when he was bound by Solomon he told him that after 1,200 years he hoped to return to Heaven.
In the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1577) of Johann Weyer the demon is called Marchocias and his description is much the same as that given in the Goetia except that his gender when appearing as a wolf is female. He likewise hopes to eventually return to the Seventh Throne but is "deceived in that hope."
Marchosias in the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum[]
The Pseudomonarchia daemonum, or False Monarchy of Demons, by the Dutch occultist Johann Weyer, was published as an appendix to his book titled De praestigiis daemonum, or On the Tricks of Demons, in 1577. The description of Marchosias from the Pseudomonarchia daemonum is as follows:
| “ | Marchosias [*Marchocias] is a great marquesse, he sheweth himselfe in the shape of a cruell shee woolfe, with a griphens wings, with a serpents taile, and spetting I cannot tell what out of his mouth. When he is in a mans shape, he is an excellent fighter, he answereth all questions trulie, he is faithfull in all the conjurors businesse [commands], he was of the order of dominations, under him are thirtie legions: he hopeth after 1200. yeares to returne to the seventh throne, but he is deceived in that hope.[1] | ” |
Marchosias in the Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis (Ars Goetia)[]
The Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis or Lesser Key of Solomon is an anonymously written book of demonology that is believed to have been complied sometime during the 17th century CE. The work is divided into five books, the first of which, known as the Ars Goetia, lists 72 demons. The Ars Goetia is heavily based off of Johann Weyer's Pseudomonarchia daemonum.
In 1904, the British occultist and founder of the religion of Thelema, Aleister Crowley, published a version of the Lesser Key of Solomon which was translated by another British occultist, Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers, and contained additional invocations added by Crowley. The Ars Goetia's passage on Marchosias from the 1904 version is as follows:
| “ | MARCHOSIAS. - The Thirty-fifth Spirit is Marchosias. He is a Great and Mighty Marquis, appearing at first in the Form of a Wolf18 having Gryphon’s Wings, and a Serpent’s Tail, and Vomiting Fire out of his mouth. But after a time, at the command of the Exorcist he putteth on the Shape of a Man. And he is a strong fighter. He was of the Order of Dominations. He governeth 30 Legions of Spirits. He told his Chief, who was Solomon, that after 1,200 years he had hopes to return unto the Seventh Throne. And his Seal is this, to be made and worn as a Lamen, etc.[2] | ” |
Marchosias in the Dictionnaire Infernal[]
The Infernal Dictionary is a book of demonology written in 1818 by the French occultist Jacques Auguste Simon Collin de Plancy. The entry for Marchosias is as follows:
| “ | Marchocias, great marquis of the underworld. He appears in the form of a ferocious she-wolf, with griffin wings and a serpent's tail: under this graceful aspect the marquis vomits women. When he takes on a human figure, one believes he sees a great soldier. He obeys the exorcists, is of the order of Dominations and commands thirty legions.[3] | ” |
Gallery[]
| The 72 Demons of The Ars Goetia | |
|---|---|
| Kings | Asmodeus • Bael • Balam • Beleth • Belial • Paimon • Purson • Vine • Zagan |
| Dukes | Abigor • Aim • Agares • Allocer • Amduscias • Astaroth • Barbatos • Bathin • Bune • Berith • Crocell • Dantalion • Flauros • Focalor • Gremory • Gusion • Murmur • Sallos • Valefor • Vapula • Vepar • Vual • Zepar |
| Princes | Gaap • Ipos • Orobas • Seere • Stolas • Sytry • Vassago |
| Marquises | Amon • Andrealphus • Andras • Cimejes • Decarabia • Forneus • Gamigin • Leraje • Marchosias • Nebiros • Orias • Phenex • Ronové • Sabnock • Shax |
| Counts | Andromalius • Bifrons • Furfur • Halphas • Raum |
| Knights | Furcas |
| Presidents | Buer • Botis • Foras • Glasya-Labolas • Marbas • Morax |
| Great Presidents | Amy • Camio • Haagenti • Malphas • Ose • Volac |
| List of Angels | |
|---|---|
| Seraphim | Agiel • Gabriel • Yahoel • Matriel • Raphael • Seraphiel • Uriel |
| Cherubim | Azazel • Gabriel • Gadreel • Gamaliel • Kerubiel • Lucifer • Michael • Ophaniel • Paimon • Rikbiel • Sachiel |
| Thrones | Abaddon • Mitzrael • Murmur • Ophaniel • Pahaliah • Raum |
| Dominons | Balam • Camael • Marchosias • Muriel • Paimon • Vasiariah |
| Virtues | Agares • Barbatos |
| Powers | Amy • Crocell • Gaap • Vual |
| Principalities | Cambiel • Hahasiah • Imamiah • Mebahiah • Nanael • Nithael • Poyel • Vehuel |
| Archangels | Abaddon • Adriel • Agiel • Arakiel • Ariel • Azazel • Azrael • Barachiel • Baraqiel • Barbiel • Beburos • Camael • Cambiel • Cassiel • Chamuel • Dadrail • Gabriel • Gamaliel • Hamaliel • Haniel • Hofniel • Israfil • Jegudiel • Jerahmeel • Jophiel • Kadkadael • Kepharel • Kundaliel • Matriel • Metatron • Michael • Mitzrael • Phanuel • Pravuil • Raguel • Ramiel • Raphael • Raziel • Sabriel • Sachiel • Sahaquiel • Samael • Sandalphon • Sarathiel • Sariel • Selaphiel • Shamnail • Tawûsî Melek • Turail • Uriel • Uziel • Verchiel • Zachariel • Zadkiel • Zagagel • Zaphkiel • Zephaniel • Zuriel |
| Angels | Amy • Caim • Hutriel • Kushiel • Mastema |
| Watchers | Abaddon • Ananiel • Arakiel • Armaros • Asbeel • Azazel • Baraqiel • Bezaliel • Chazaqiel • Daniel • Gadreel • Jequn • Kokabiel • Penemue • Ramiel • Samyaza • Sariel • Sathariel • Shamsiel • Tamiel • Turiel • Yomiel • Zaqiel |
| Fallen Angels | Agares • Amy • Asbeel • Azazel • Balam • Belial • Caim • Crocell • Gaap • Harut • Lucifer • Marchosias • Marut • Mastema • Murmur • Paimon • Ramiel • Raum • Samael • Satan • Tamiel • Vual • Xaphan |
| Miscellaneous | Chalkydri • Naphil |